Teaching and AI

How can faculty meaningfully consider generative AI in their instructional practices, and address these tools with learners in clear, consistent, and constructive ways? This page links to learning resources and tools that can be useful for faculty, whether they’re grappling with generative AI in their teaching, seeking to proactively address it in course documents, working to ensure students are building up critical thinking about these tools, or seeking to learn from others as they navigate the current learning landscape. See upcoming AI-related teaching events.

Getting Started: Faculty Quick Guide

• Review the quick-start guide on addressing AI in your classroom, What to Do with the Time You Have, which offers small yet meaningful steps to forming an intentional, learning-focused response.

Setting and Upholding AI Course Policies

• Integrate OU’s guidance on course AI policies and recommended AI tools into your syllabus: While OU does not require a specific AI policy, your syllabus should have an AI policy.
• Determine your policy by working through the AI-Aware Teaching Module in CETL’s Teaching Toolbox Course (estimated 30 minutes to complete).
• Use the AI Academic Integrity Guide to set clear AI policies, design assignments that deter misuse, and handle suspected misconduct fairly.
• Direct students toward OU’s recommended AI tools if you permit AI use in your course.

Dealing with AI in Online Courses

• Use the Online Course AI Guidance from e-LIS to get practical guidance for online learning environments, including how to use common learning activities in a way that centers authenticity and integrity. While the goal is not to make courses AI-proof, this resource can help you ensure that course assessments continue measuring intended learning outcomes.

Leveraging AI for Teaching Practices

• Try out the CETL AI Prompt Studio to identify starting points for prompting generative AI tools in support of course design, student communication, learning engagement, and assessment. Investigate additional starting points in Cynthia Alby’s AI Prompts for Teaching.
• Refer to AI for Education - GenAI Chatbot Prompts Library for Educators for guidance on how to effectively use generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity to lesson plan and complete administrative tasks.

Supporting Students’ Critical Thinking around AI Use

• AI@OU - Students: This guide from Academic Affairs provides important context and direction for students as they consider using generative AI tools in their work. It also links to Human Wisdom for the Age of AI, a joint publication from Elon University, the AAC&U, and The Princeton Review that provides a framework for interacting with these tools in ethical and thoughtful ways.
• Assign OU Libraries’ Introduction to AI Literacy micro-course to help students gain critical thinking skills about generative AI and begin to consider the potential uses, limitations, and issues related to such tools. As with the Libraries’ other online learning objects, students will earn a badge upon successful completion (score of 80%+).

Continuing to Learn about AI in Teaching and Learning

CETL and e-LIS offer a variety of teaching and AI events, from hands-on “sandbox” events to faculty-led idea-sharing.

• Follow CETL’s timely announcements for more information on future programs such as course development institutes and learning communities.
• Invite CETL and e-LIS to Your Department for an AI-focused traveling sparkshop, which is customizable for time, topics of interest, and activities that are most helpful. Email cetl@oakland.edu with your topic(s) of interest, available date and time, and any other information that will be helpful in our planning.